All references cited in this specification, and their references, are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for teachings of additional or alternative details, features, and/or technical background.
Disclosed is a fastener which is configured to travel in any desired direction in a solid medium in which it is being propelled. The fastener may be propelled using a power-driven nailing machine, for example, or by hand, using a hammer.
Fasteners for fastening pieces of materials together are known in the art. It is common practice to drive a nail straight into two pieces of wood to hold them together as shown in FIG. 1, for example. Here, nail 10 is driven by hammer 20 thru two wooden members 30 and 40 so that the two members can be held together without separating from each other. However, there are many instances where it is inconvenient, and sometimes not possible to fasten pieces together simply by driving a straight nail through them as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the same members 30 and 40 are to be fastened to each member. However, this time an intervening wall 50 obstructs the use of hammer 20′ or hammer 20″. One may use a power-actuated tool such as a nailing machine 60 to drive nail 10″ at an angle, as shown in the same FIG. 2. (Nailing machines are well-known in the art and are not described in detail here in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present disclosure.) Still, nail 10″ barely misses member 40. Similarly, member 70 in FIG. 3 is to be fastened to member 40, but nail 10′″ misses it. What is needed is a fastener which can be self-directed to change form and direction at the same time in order to conform to a desired fastening trajectory.